


Untilted

by QueenPotatos



Category: Free!
Genre: Day 1, For the Future Festival, M/M, Prompts : dreams
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-05
Updated: 2015-08-05
Packaged: 2018-04-13 03:49:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4506591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenPotatos/pseuds/QueenPotatos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A few minutes later Rin came down as well. He was humming a melody Haru didn't recognize. It didn't bother him, since he wasn't in the habit of listening to any popular music.<br/>"Mackerel, again?" Rin whined.<br/>"Don't like, don't eat."<br/>"Man, I'm just tired of eating fish every damn morning…" Rin replied.<br/>Haru frowned. Did they make mackerel at breakfast in Samezuka as well? Rin could have warned him sooner; he would have transferred within a week. Intrigued, he wanted to ask but never had the chance to. </p>
<p>His voice was shut down by Rin's arms, curling smoothly around his waist.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Untilted

 

 

Rin had stayed the night. He was still sleeping on the futon next to his bed, his hair in a mess, his eyes tightly closed. Again, Makoto hadn't been able to stay, just like the all the other nights when they were both invited. In the end, it always ended up like this; just Rin sleeping on the floor and Haru, watching him, watching every one of his slow breaths, until eventually he woke up.

But this morning Haru was thirsty, and hungry – they’d probably had too much to drink for their own good the previous night. He couldn't wait for Rin to wake; and so he very carefully overstepped his lying form and went down to the kitchen to start breakfast.

A few minutes later Rin came down as well. He was humming a melody Haru didn't recognize. It didn't bother him, since he wasn't in the habit of listening to any popular music.

"Mackerel, again?" Rin whined.

"Don't like, don't eat."

"Man, I'm just tired of eating fish every damn morning…" Rin replied.

Haru frowned. Did they make mackerel at breakfast in Samezuka as well? Rin could have warned him sooner; he would have transferred within a week.

Intrigued, he wanted to ask but never had the chance to. His voice was shut down by Rin's arms, curling smoothly around his waist. Rin leaned on Haru's back and put his chin on his shoulder to get a better look at what was happening in the fry pan.

"Can't you be a little bit more like normal people, at least before breakfast?" Rin added nonchalantly, his eyes still observing the cooking mackerel.

But the situation for Haru was anything but casual. In fact, he was so shocked that he forgot to push Rin away. He seemed so… natural about this, as if it was something they did every morning.

Things didn't get better when Rin dropped a kiss just next to his ear. "I'll make the toast; two as usual, I bet."

Haru felt a shiver roll down his spine and his face turned red.

…How did Rin know about his morning ritual?

Dumbfounded, Haru resumed cooking on auto-pilot. Rin's attitude was profoundly troubling. When they finally sat in front of their meal, Haru couldn't touch his food. His eyes were scanning Rin, his every gesture, his attitude, his honest smile. It was Rin, that's for sure; but in a sense it wasn't the Rin he knew.

"Are you alright?" Rin eventually asked him with his mouth full. Haru hadn't touched his while Rin was almost finished. Yet, he couldn't find the will to have so much as a bite.

"Ah. I probably drank too much yesterday."

It was Rin's turn to look at him suspiciously.

Damn, what was actually going on?

"If you're not feeling hungry it's okay, but at least don't waist such good food. Give it to me."

Haru arched an eyebrow. "But you said you were sick of mackerel."

In front of him Rin smiled, then rolled his eyes. "Come on, have I ever let one of your meals go untouched? You're an amazing cook Haru, everything you make tastes so good. You know I'm just teasing you."

"…"

Haru was so shocked by Rin's sweet words – oh, how sweet they were - that he forgot how to move. Rin had to stretch his arm to take Haru's plate, and he finished the remaining mackerel with a delighted expression painted on his face. The whole scene felt unreal, pleasantly unreal, Haru realized. He kept on watching Rin in silence. He looked... happy, simply happy, _blossomly_ happy. The sight moved him in a way he couldn't describe yet.

"Hey, what's with you today?" Rin asked him, a tender smile on his face. "You look so weird. Come here."

Rin tapped on the seat next to him, and Haru moved closer, as if Rin's demand couldn't be turned off, and never was  supposed to – at least not while he was looking at him like that. Like… what, exactly? Haru didn't know. He had never seen Rin giving him those kind of looks before – in fact, no one had ever given Haru looks like those.

It kind of felt…nice. Warm, and dangerous, but overall the feeling that resulted of all those contradictory emotions was something utterly positive. Rin was comfortable. His presence eased something on Haru's skin. He suddenly had the feeling that, as Rin took him by the waist and pulled him into his embrace he could unveil himself, body and soul, and display his being to these flaming, caring, red eyes and be safe.

Rin scratched a spot just behind his ears with his nails. Haru had never experienced something so good in his life, and had to refrain himself from moaning – that would have been embarrassing. As if the scene wasn't enough already, him in Rin's lap, melting to his touch, leaning more and more into his chest.

"There," Rin murmured. His voice was soft; it wasn't even seductive in the slightest and yet it resonated in Haru's chest, and spread something warm inside, warmer than Rin's arms around him, or than his breath on his cheek. His touches drove him comfortably numb. How could Rin know all those things he adored when Haru himself ignored their existence?

"You're so tense. You need to relax a bit. Close your eyes."

Unwillingly, Haru obeyed.

Really he didn't want to like Rin's touch on his skull any longer – or did he?

And then, Rin's nails went down on the back of his neck, and just to that sensitive spot on his skin, behind his ears. It was too much for him to bear. Pleasure spread down and warmed up in his groin, and this was when Haru snapped out of this delicious trance. He burst out of Rin's lap and walked hastily to the bathroom.

"Wait!" Rin yelled. "Where are you going?"

"Taking a bath." Haru muttered. He couldn't believe what had just happened. He was so confused, and angry. How could he let himself go like that; and with Rin, all of people?

"Hey! Wait for me!" He heard Rin yelled, and then he was climbing the steps to reach him, but Haru couldn't let him in. He closed the door. He sank into the tub. He felt just as awful and lost when he finally emerged.

 

 

 

 

Haru went down the stairs after he dressed; he found Rin with a bag in his hand, and his cap on his head. His stomach twisted in pain. He didn't want to him to go, or at least not like that, not after a fight. What if he never came back?

Rin turned around, and looked at him with the exact same gaze he had borne all morning; one Haru couldn't read yet but felt it was something only reserved for him.

"Are you ready?" Rin asked him. There was a hint of annoyance in his voice, and somehow it reminded Haru of his own Rin.

"Ready for what?" He muttered. He still didn't know how to act around this Rin; talking to him was like walking on eggs with gethas.

Rin threw him another bag which had been hidden behind his legs. "I'm taking you to the Ocean. Picnic is ready; you don't have to take care of anything."

Haru caught the bag in midair. Once more Rin managed to flabbergast him in the blink of an eye. He needed to know. He needed to understand, but couldn't find the strength to ask. He was afraid he already knew what the hell was going on and the answer scared him.

When Rin found out Haru still hadn't moved a finger, he sighed in pain, and moved closer.

"Haru… Haru, please, tell me what's wrong?"

His hands cupped his cheek, stroke his skin softly. The gentleness of his touch made his eyes blur. The pain Haru guessed he saw in Rin's eyes cut through him more than any words or knives could have. He was hurt; and if Haru didn't understand a damn thing that was happening, it must be the same for this Rin. He must be wondering where his Haru had gone. The way Rin was looking at him was now no mystery to him.  

"I'm sorry." He said. A single tear escaped from the corner of his eyes.

Rin wiped it away with his thumb. "Sorry for what, exactly?" he asked, concerned.

Rin had always been too much for Haru. Too much intensity, such an annoying little boy, always chasing after him, always moving him from his comfort zone, always taking him to new places; this so annoying little boy who was now stroking his cheek as if he was the eighth wonder of the world. Why did he have to come? Why did he find him? Why did he have to impact his feelings so much?

Haru was so angry at himself for once again, for falling into Rin's trap, without trying to fight back.

Rin leaned closer and dropped a kiss on his lips. It lasted less than a second. It was too short, Haru thought, damn too short… He didn't have time to realize what was happening before it was already over.

"I don't know what’s gotten you today, but you're definitely not your own self," Rin said in a serious tone. "I feel like you haven't seen me in ages. It's kind of weird, and you're worrying me a little bit, and we'll fix that, eventually but first, you need to relax. Come with me, come to the Ocean. I know you'll only feel better there. You'll be able to relax, you'll-"

Haru pressed their lips together again, with his hands on Rin's face. He brought him as close as he could.

Rin broke the kiss, far too quickly for Haru's liking. He opened his eyes, perplexed and lost, and soon they melted into something smoother; Rin was smiling again.

"Maybe I got a little bit worried for nothing," he said. And then he laughed, and his smile grew wider.

When had Haru seen him so happy? Probably never.

"Ah, Haru, you'll be the death of me, I swear."

He took his bag in his hand and looked at Haru's, which had been forgotten on the floor in the haste of their kiss. "I'll gladly kiss you until you can't breathe but you don't deserve it right now. Maybe you'll find a way for me to forgive you while we're at the beach. What do you think of this, Nanase?"

Haru frowned at the provocation. "Don’t call me that." He muttered.

Rin smiled again, and he opened the door. The light flooded in from outside and illuminated his hair, his face, his silhouette. But none of those things shone better than the way his mouth curled. It changed something in Haru's heart, it really did. He knew he wouldn't be the same person again, not after seeing Rin as he was seeing him right now.

 

 

 

 

 

Haru woke up as they were about to pass the door.

Rin was sleeping on the futon next to his bed, his hair in a mess, his eyes tightly closed. His arms were above his head and his legs in what looked like a very improbable and uncomfortable position.

Haru woke up with eyes burning and his heart racing in his chest. He even felt breathless, for a second or two. Not knowing what to do, what to think – was it all a dream? – he lay down in bed again, carefully listening to Rin's breathing. It stayed regular for almost half an hour.

Haru shot a glance at Rin's face and felt the  heat on his cheeks immediately after. What had happened? Why did he boldly decide to kiss Rin like that?

Well it wasn't really him. It had been a dream, hadn't it? Even if it had all felt so real…

Haru was too hot to be lazy in bed. He started to feel waves of warmth and desperately needed to take off his clothes – which was a really bad idea considering who he was sharing his room with and what he had done to Rin's clone in his dream.

He got up and went to the kitchen, started to cook mackerel as usual.

Rin came down a couple of minutes later. Haru heard him yawn from behind.

"Mackerel, again?" Rin whined.

"Don't like, don't eat." Haru replied automatically. A feeling of déjà vu hit him; he shivered in anticipation.

He nearly expected Rin to hug him from behind but the touch never came. Instead, Rin sat at the table and tried to arrange his messy hair, in vain. He put his chin on the palm of his hands and looked around aimlessly; he wasn't fully awakened yet.

"What can I do to help?" He asked then, before yawning again.

Haru watched the mackerel grill for a second or two, thinking, or trying to. "You can set the table and make the toast." He replied. "I already made the tea."

"Okay, okay, I'm on it."

Rin woke up properly and stepped near Haru. "How much do you need?"

"Two," Haru answered, and his stomach twisted. "And you?"

"Depends. I'll go with two as well since it's what you'll take."

It made Haru smile. But Rin wasn't, really.

They ate in silence. Rin still appeared to have his head in the clouds, not saying a whisper, not looking at him. Sure, he was frowning from time to time and seemed a little grumpy, just like his Rin usually was. That's when Haru realized he didn't like that.

"Rin," Haru interjected, "Rin, smile for me."

"Huh? "

Rin raised his head. He looked directly to Haru's eyes, trying to decipher what was reflected into them.

"Just do it." Haru ordered.

"It doesn't work like that. You can't just order a smile out of someone."

"You did." Haru replied. Rin scowled; damn he was right he already did.

"But it's not the same! I was just…teasing you, you know."

The top of Haru's throat tightened as he heard those words, words another Rin had spoken, with so much more joy and care in his voice ~~,~~. the words of a happier Rin. Where did he go?

"Smile for me, Rin." Haru repeated with more force. His eyes were stuck on Rin's, trying to make him understand the seriousness of the situation, but how could he explain this to him? There was no way he could without dying of embarrassment. So he just hoped they would be able to understand each other without words. 

They stared intensely, until eventually, Rin smiled.

But it seemed too fake.

Haru rolled his eyes. "Not like that," He muttered.

"Then like what?" Rin asked, sounding a little bit pissed.

"Smile like you’re the happiest person in the world."

"Make me!" Rin dared him.

The words knocked him out, without Rin realizing just how deep they were, at least to Haru's heart.

It was his turn to smile, something he did rarely, at least the way he did at this moment. "I will." He said.

Rin chuckled a little bit, and when he saw Haru's warm smile hadn't disappeared yet, he started to realize what it meant, and started to blush.

"Wait, wait, wait, I meant – you meant, we were talking about smiling, okay?"

"Okay."

"Then why are you grinning and… and looking at me like that?"

"Like what?" Haru asked.

"Like…like…"

Rin couldn't finish. Haru kind of knew why. He must have borne the same expression the Rin from his dream had had all along.

 

 

 

_**\- Smile like you're the happiest person in the World -** _

 

 


End file.
